Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-07-24

- SosSNA~ AAN oseSN N1cAS - ~ We
only big enough to hold u nickel comfort
ably. They kept the arms down and lef)
the needle free until they were Jared out
Both these faults were easily remedied
and the new or r~emOdelled machines arr
not subject to the frailties of the original,
A locking device prevents the double ust
of q machine aud the cup Is made Of
wire, so that the deludiDg pen
MES 20 right through, while the more sub
stantial nickel sets the machinery in mo
ton. The lead coins have also been pro,
vided for. Instead OF having the cup
placed directly under the slit, it is put al
the end of a V-shaped trough running at q
slight incline from the orifice. The genu'
inc nickel slides down it and performs the
work, but the brass lead sticks in the brass
trough, and no result follows. When the
perpetrator of the fraud loses patience and
steps off the platform, the trough opens al
the bottom and the bogus coin drops
down.
The rich rewards of the weighing ma
chine have stimulated imitation. Que
that has recently appeared at Paul Bauer's
on COney Island is q platform spring scale,
which is entered through a turnstile. The
latter only opens to the persuasion OF a
nickel dropped in a slot duly marked for
that purpose.
The legitimate successor, or, more prop
erly, adjunct of the weighing machine, Is
already showing itself. 1t takes the place
of the old scaleman's side partner, who
used to shout with him and offer the
passer-by the chance TO give his system
the benefit of a charge of electricity or to
show his grit and nerve in seeing how
heavy a shock he could stand.
The automatic electrical machine resem-
bles the weigher. 1t has a movable plat
form with more play which sinks under the
weight of the customer for about 40 see
onds. 1t communicates motion to an cleo
trie current generator, and the strength OF
the shock is regulated by pulling out one OF
the two metal handles through which 1t
is taken. A neddle trayersinga graduated
are shows the strength of the dose received,
and the whole thing in its movement de-
ponds on the dropping Of the necessary
nickel.
The ownership OF both of these ma
chimes is kept with the company, nor do
they let them Out at any fixed price or
royalty. They place them at the points
that seem likely to I've most productive,
and pay in ONE cases u percentage OF
what is called the ''earnings'' of the ma
chine. In some places they are considered
an attraction, and no payment is made to
the owner OF the saloon or store. Where
payment is made it varies according to the
business done. Who gets the percentage
from the %ferry-house machines aud those
in such semi-public places is another secret
of the company.
The more p]retentious, but scarcely more
remuuerative nickel collectors that are
seen in some iirst-claSs saloons, are the
property of another concern. They con-
sist OF highly ornate models of locomotives
aud steamships, with clOck-wOrk ma
chinery and hidden musical boxes. The
weight OF Il iive-cent piece dropped in a
slot, sets the machinery and music gong
for Il few minutes. They are not adapted
to the crowded places where the weighing
machine merrily makes money, and re-
quire more oversight and care. Their e
pense is another important factor III
measuring the prCpOrtionate profit. Some
Of these steamships and locomotives are
said to cost from IL, 800 to s., 900.
The same inventor, Mr.. Eyeritt, under
the operations of = different company, is
preparing Il new set of automatic cOntriv-
anceS that will WOO the small coin from the
idlers in hotel corridors, ferry houses, or
other places of waiting or lOuugiug. They
are three varieties of strength testers. One
registers the strength ofa lifting pull, an
other hat of a horizontal tug, N the
third the force of blow OF the list upon
u padded leather covered surface.
Even these devices do not exhaust the
possibilities Oi the automatic service to he
had for any cOir of q predetermined value.
Selling boxes are being manufactured by
the thousands and are adapted for the sale
OF articles in uniform price without the
services of an attendant. The boxes are
so arranged that the dropping Of the coin
specified permits chem To ID opened and
one package only taken ont. The box
has to be closed and another coin put
in before anything else can be taken
from it. The project is to put them in the
elevated stations, ferry houses and similar
places where people are moving about all
the time, but where it would not pay to
keep q clerk on duty continuously. Con
tracts covering the United States have al
ready been made with tobacco men for
plug and fine cut, cigarette manufacturers
for sale by the package, candy men for con
fectiOnery, chewing gum and package
goods, and even with steel pen manufac,
turers for selling pens by the box.
An automatic insurance box il one of the
most novel features. The usual tive-cent
contribution releases q card marked with
the date and time of day. Part Of it is
torn oil and put back into the box, with
the name Of the buyer written on it. The
part retained contains 4 contract for an &C,
cident insurance of $500 for the "a hours
after its date.
The Puck cartoon of a machine drink
seller was anticipated by a device shown
by the same inventor. This is intended
for 10 cent drinks, and when q dime is
properly dropped into it, a fixed quantity
of any one of four or more different liquor,
may he drawn from it.